DXchulo

Anyone know of a good link for a route from San Fran to Yosemite? I found this group of maps, but I'm all for being lazy if someone has already posted a map. My main concern would be getting out of San Francisco dealing with as little traffic as possible.

I found this route from San Diego to Yuma, which completely kicks ass. I guess it spoiled me.

I'm just playing around trying to come up with a route that goes through Yosemite, Death Valley, and the Grand Canyon as quickly as possible. Maybe I could even sneak US 50 through Nevada in there.

jamawani 

If you want you can start in San Fran and ride down the Pacific Coast Highway or take Sam Trans to Half Moon Bay. From there continue on 1 to Santa Cruz, take West Cliff Drive (!!!) and the bike route to Watsonville, 129 to San Juan Bautista (kinda trafficky), bypass Hollister on Union Road, then Rte 25 to Tres Pinos and Paicines, J-1 over Panoche Pass is incredible - scenic and no traffic. Bar at the junction, camping is available at Mercey Hot Springs - very nice. In the Valley zig north to Firebaugh then take diagonal Robertson Ave to Chowchilla. White Rock Road out of Chowchilla has a 5-mile dirt segment but thru most of the Sierra foothills it is one land, gorgeous, and zero traffic. Rejoins Old Yosemite highway west of Mariposa into Mariposa. Then 140 along Merced Canyon into Yosemite.

jamawani 

PS - Are you already in San Francisco or would you be flying into SFO? In that case, you could head right out to Half Moon Bay and never have to deal with any traffic.

axolotl

If your main concern is getting out of the SF Bay area, take BART (link to map) to the Dublin/Pleasanton station, or Pittsburg/Bay Point.

DXchulo

I'd be flying into SFO. I'm not really going, just fantasizing. What about the Golden Gate bridge? Would that be worth the trouble? It's kind of out of the way and is probably full of people, but it would be cool to say you rode your bike across it.

DXchulo

BART takes all of the fun out of it. I can deal with crowds, but it's always nice to minimize them as much as possible.

paxtonm

You can ride the bridge, but it's not really on the way to Yosemite. It's a great start to a loop up the north coast and through the wine country, though. The advise about going south, then through Watsonville, San Juan Bautista and Panoche Valley is the best on the board. I've ridden through this area a lot (I live on the route) and it's nothing short of stunning. Fall is a great time for the ride. The weather on the coast is usually clearer and warmer than in August, and the weather in Panoche and the Central Valley is typically much cooler. Crowds are down, too. It's amazing that more people aren't riding in the area, but nearly all the two-wheeled traffic I see is comprised of locals on day rides.

Don't fantasize -- ride!
Mark

jimx200

One of my favorite rides (I live in Sacramento) is to take the Vallejo ferry to S.F., then tour the city for 1-2 hours, then head for the Golden Gate Bridge. Riders have one side and pedistrians the other. Bring a camera as the views are awesome! Keep going into Sausalito, have a lunch, return across Bridge or take a ferry back to S.F. Other option is to keep going North, go a far as you want, even to Oregon border. Scenery is absolutely beautiful!
Forgot to mention to grab a loaf of Boudin's sourdough bread for snacking...maybe a bottle of California wine too?